Weekly Reflection, Friday, May 6
By: Adam O.C. Reynolds, Confirmand of the Class of 2022
Confirmation at St. Mary’s is an informative and nurturing experience. I had originally assumed that I would attend confirmation classes and be confirmed in my eighth grade year of school as is the standard age. However, as we all know, the past two years have been complicated by the pandemic. I am now a freshman in high school and started confirmation in January of this year.
Our first meeting, in true pandemic fashion, was done virtually but all that followed were in-person. We started the confirmation process by setting a list of intentions for the course that centered around respect and faith. As we made progress, we learned more about early Christianity and the creation of the Episcopal church. We took the historical knowledge and applied it to our scripture studies. Interpreting the gospels and parables gave us a greater understanding of the Bible. The class also took a meaningful retreat to Richmond Hill and spent time learning more about our faith and the power it has to shape and contribute to communities.
Now that confirmation is here, this is a perfect time for all of us to reflect on what it means to be a part of the church community. Personally, that means attending church events and services and participating in Holy days like the reading of the Passion on Palm Sunday. The beauty of St. Mary’s lies in its incredible leaders like Rector, David May, and Director of Youth Ministries, Kilpy Singer. David May’s inspiring insight to religion as a whole and Kilpy’s thoughtful lesson planning made confirmation an incredibly meaningful experience.
Thinking back on all the time I have spent at St. Mary’s, from preschool to confirmation, I am so grateful to have such a serene environment in which to worship or even just think clearly. Going forward, I am eager to continue my involvement in church and further my faith in this environment.